**After extensive discussions with numerous partners and stakeholders, it has been determined that the EAB quarantine area of Georgia will be expanded to encompass the entire state. This statewide quarantine will be effective December 1, 2017.***

The emerald ash borer (EAB) is an insect that belongs to a group of metallic wood-boring beetles. Unlike our native beetles that kill weakened trees as part of the natural nutrient recycling process, emerald ash borers kill vigorously growing and weakened ash trees. It is not native to the United States and was first found near Detroit, Michigan in 2002. EAB is now found in 31 states and has already killed tens of millions of ash trees.

EAB was discovered in DeKalb and Fulton Counties, Georgia, in July 2013 as part of the national detection survey funded by the USDA-Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. Georgia has been part of a nationwide trapping program to detect the presence of this forest pest since 2005. As part of this trapping program, EAB was found in nine more counties in 2014: Carroll, Clayton, Cobb, Fayette, Henry, Newton, Rockdale, Walton and Whitfield. In 2015 another 710 traps were placed around the state and EAB was found in seven new counties: Barrow, Cherokee, Douglas, Fannin, Habersham, Murray, and White. In 2016, EAB was found in four new counties: Bartow, Gilmer, Rabun and Union.

The state of Georgia (both Georgia Forestry Commission and Georgia Department of Agriculture) is concerned about this pest spreading unchecked. For this reason, quarantined areas have been delineated to prevent potentially infested ash wood from spreading outside this area. As Emerald Ash Borer is detected in new counties, the quarantined area will be updated. Please continue to check this page for any updates to the EAB Quarantine.

David Cappaert, Michigan State University, Bugwood.org photo credit

As of August 31, 2016, EAB has been found in the following counties in Georgia. To see a map of the quarantine area, see link on top right of this page.

Barrow

Gwinnett

Bartow

Habersham

Carroll

Henry

Cherokee

Murray

Clayton

Newton

Cobb

Rabun

Dekalb

Rockdale

Douglas

Union

Fannin

Walton

Fayette

White

Fulton

Whitfield

Gilmer

Both agencies will work with forest landowners, loggers, mills, firewood producers, nurseries, municipalities, and others to ensure that commerce can still occur while safeguards are in place to prevent ash borer movement. All updates to the regulations will be announced on this website. Please check back periodically.